Milk Cooperative
Project Description
Ceelsame milk cooperative is one of the cooperatives established and supported by World Vision under DFAT Project. Ceelsame consists of 30 members who are mainly women and it is operational in Ceel-same village under Odweyne District.
Before the intervention, members of the cooperative used to sell milk to the local market without formal organization. Moreover, they had limited knowledge of business management skills. When these women joined the project, their average income varied from $500-$700 per month. Currently they earn an average income of $3200 per month, a threefold increase.
The intervention has not only helped the underprivileged women improve economically, be more confident, independent and earn respect amongst villagers, but has also enabled them to interact with government and civil officials at various levels to market their products. They are determined to help their villages grow and are the torch bearers of the change being brought about in the lives of other underprivileged rural women.
The group members sell milk in hostels and shops, they cater for weddings and supply milk products in neighbouring Burao City main Market. The group collects about 318 litres of milk a day using stainless jars which is healthier and environmentally friendly. Milk is pasteurized, bottled and sent to Burao and Hargeisa for commercial sale. One litre of milk sells for $1.5.
In the month of March the group earned $3,240 that means the processed milk cost produce was $108 per day. Last month they sold one litre of milk for 150,000 (Somali shilling) to the Burao market and 10,000 to Ceelsame village which is equivalent to USD 1.5 and 1, respectively. Currently during the dry season it is difficult to generate more income from milk due to milk shortage. This shows that the project is making a difference with respect to its overall goal of ‘increased household income and nutrition’. It was also learnt that business diversification is important and contributes to the overall project goal.